Journalism of Courage
Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) is working on a project Development of Protocol for DNA Profiling (Identification) and Repository of Personnel of Armed Forces.
According to a press release on the PIB website,The pilot project was approved by Armed Forces Medical Research Committee. The work on the project is in progress at Armed Forces Medical College in Pune. The objective of the project is to devise a protocol for collection,preservation and transportation of blood samples of soldiers,maintaining absolute accuracy in personal information and tagging of specimen and to devise protocol for procedure for identifying service personnel from any fragment of body tissue.
The release added,Army has a well established procedure for identification of a soldier in a battle zone. A solder is a part of a sub-unit (section,platoon etc.) deployed on the border and every one recognises him due to his physical attributes or his companions with whom he moves. Never is a soldier left alone in these areas. In addition,every personnel has two metallic discs,one tied to his neck and other on the wrist. These discs have his Army Number engraved for identification.
